Usually I show you Doll Man covers, but today I thought it would be fun to open one of Doll Man’s comics (Feature Comics # 118) and show you a splash page. Ready to play our Sigmund Freud game? First note the bald man with the gun to the side. He parts the curtain with his long fingers. What Freudian stuff does all that represent Arf Lover? I don’t know either. But, this fiendishly smiling dude discovers a bizarre scene. Little Doll Man at a circus freak side show. Little Doll Man and the big Strong Man are half naked. The both hold long rods with two balls. The Big Strong Man is perched on top of the “World’s Mightiest Mite”. Where are we going now with this, Arf Lover? Yeah, I don’t have a clue, either. But, darn it all, I wouldn’t be trying to find all this Freudian stuff if the Doll Man Logo, well hung from chains, didn’t perfectly frame the spread-legged Strong Man’s leather belt and well-defined package! The Man and Woman in the foreground look on in frozen shock as do we dear Arf Lover. Have a happy Doll Man Monday!

Recently I showed you a pic of the Popeye Pub. Here’s a competing establishment from Thailand, The Mickey Mouse Bar. If you go there be careful that they don’t slip you a Mickey!

Geez, this guy was a Super Star in his day in the comic strip world and society and entertainment circles and now he’s all but forgotten…

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As much as I love good “link” blogs i don’t link to others much, but try and provide original content on the Arf Lover’s Blog. Gotta let you know, though, about the terrific Wally Wood post by the esteemed Bhob Stewart. The general public was exposed to the beloved cartoonist Wally Wood when he did the great print ad for Alka Seltzer. Bhob, who was working with Wood at the time, gives us a fascinating behind the scenes glimpse and shows the rare animated commercial that Wood storyboarded based on the print ad. Word! Or should I say, “Wood!”

Chris Mautner over at the Newsarama blog linked to the 1921 “Our Ku Klux Klan” comics I dug up. I like all the colorful and big words Chris uses, he’s got a real smart headbone:

“Craig Yoe is always digging up the oddest comics and cartoons from yesteryear, but this one has to take the proverbial cake. It’s called “Our Own Klu Klux Klan” by Al Zere and is exactly what you are afraid it might be. Sort of.

“You see, instead of crusading against miscegenation, these cartoonish hooded figures are racing about the city to ensure shiftless gadabouts find work and to divert caring mothers out of the house so young swains can pitch woo with their daughters. Yeah, cause that’s what society needs.”

Speaking of Linkers, in addition to Chris, I want to thank Dirk Deppey at the terrific Journalista comics news blog who links to the Arf Lovers blog nearly every day, often with pix! Dirk’s my hero! I often thank Dirk but he’s quick to point out that kissing up does absolutely no good, he links solely on the basis of what he thinks his readers are interested in. Well, none-the less, it makes me feel good that Dirk thinks his readers are interested in matters Arf that he links so often! Dirk is such an above reproach journalist now that I’ve publically thanked him he now probably won’t ever link to me again to avoid an appearance of impropriety. The story of my life…

I keep getting queried if there are any more photos of Wonder Woman and Super Girl together. Give it up, guys, the classy Arf Lovers Blog isn’t here to pander to your immature tawdry fantasies!

Arf! A follow-up to last week’s Little Orphan Annie radio show theme is - believe it or not - a song about Little Annie Fanny. Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder’s adults-only comic strip is sort of a female version of their own Goodman Beaver (which in turn is an update of Candide) by way of spoofing Harold Gray’s seminal comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The song is about the Playboy Magazine heroine but is itself a spoof of “Alley Oop,” a hit song about a completely different comic strip character. Are you following this?

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The Kingsmen, who made history by singing what sounded like dirty lyrics to “Louie Louie” (they weren’t really dirty, just sloppy) perform this squeaky-clean song about a sexy comic strip character. Go figure!

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I’m delireous with laughter over the fact that one of my very most favor-ist blogs is now doing their own books. The Cartoon Brew has as their first offering a book about the under-loved, at least the under “booked” UPA animation studio. Arf Lovers dig the mash of modern art and cartoons and there is no animation studio that exemplifies that kick-ass concept more than UPI. This is a must have book for all the cool kids that come to my blog. So go to Cartoon Brew and snappily snap up your copy-but hurry ’cause it’s a limited edition, yo!

Arf! Arf! Doll Man has a dog day. What kind of dog do YOU have between your legs? Pit bull? Weiner Dog? Great Dane? Or Miniature Poodle? Anywho, I saw this comic on eBay but didn’t buy it-it’s too dog-eared! HA Ha Ha Ha! Oh, I amuse myself! Thanks to D. J. David B. who sent in this cover, actually. I can’t wait to hear the Little Annie Fanny comic-tune he going to spin tomorrow on the Arf Lovers Blog. Stay tuned…

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Thankfully, seems this passing of Ulrich Merkl is a mix-up. Someone posted to the effect that he had died, but it turns out there was actually some confusion with another Ulrich comics fan in Europe and, though I’m sorry for the family of that person, the Ulrich I know and love is fine…heard so from himself. *WHEW*.